Sillimanite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information

SILLIMANITE: Fibrolite, Kenya (0.34), Burma (2.44)

The fibrolite from Burma and Sri Lanka is well known to gem collectors, and highly prized because of its great scarcity. Blue and greenish gems are lovely, although very difficult to cut. Chatoyant material sometimes yields catseye fibrolites, which are also very rare. The material from Kenya is just as attractive as Burmese fibrolite but seems to be somewhat smaller in size.

Comments: The fibrolite from Burma and Sri Lanka is well known to gem collectors, and highly prized because of its great scarcity. Blue and greenish gems are lovely, although very difficult to cut. Chatoyant material sometimes yields catseye fibrolites, which are also very rare. The material from Kenya is just as attractive as Burmese fibrolite but seems to be somewhat smaller in size.

Name: After Benjamin Silliman, mineralogist, of Yale University. Fibrolite is in allusion to the fibrous nature of this variety.